6. THE PRIORY OF RUMBURGH
The priory of Rumburgh was founded between
1064 and 1070 by Ethelmar, bishop of Elmham,
and Thurstan, abbot of St. Benet at Holme, and
supplied with a few monks, with Brother Blakere
at their head, from that Benedictine foundation. (fn. 1)
These monks are named in the Domesday Survey
as being then twelve in number.
Some time in the reign of Henry I, either
Stephen, the second earl of Richmond and Bretagne, or his son Alan, the third earl, gave this
priory as a cell to the abbey of St. Mary, York. (fn. 2)
In the charters relative to this gift the priory
church of St. Michael's, Rumburgh, is described
as in possession of the churches of Wisset, Spexhall, Holton, and South Cove, with other lands,
tithes, and woods; to these the earl added the
Norfolk churches of Banham and Wilby with
all their appurtenances. It was definitely laid
down in Earl Alan's charter that the prior and
monks of Rumburgh were to be appointed by
the abbot and convent of York, and were to be
removable at will.
This injunction was always observed down to
the dissolution. The abbot appointed the prior
of this cell, which was jointly dedicated in honour
of St. Michael and St. Felix, and removed him at
will. The unusual practice in such a case was
also invariably observed of presenting each successive prior to the Bishop of Norwich for his
sanction, although the priory could not be considered a benefice. Owing to the frequent
recall of these priors, the number recorded in the
diocesan institution books is abnormally large.
The taxation roll of 1291 shows that the
income of the priory was then £35 5s. 11¾d.
Of this sum £10 12s. 11¾d. was from lands or
rents in different parishes, whilst the spiritualities
that made up the remainder were portions from
the rectories of 'Canburgh', North Tuddenham,
Barnham, Swaffham, Chediston, Sibton, Spexhall, South Cove, Wicks, and Ryburgh, in
Norwich diocese; and from those of Bassingburne, Little Abington, and Lynton, in Ely
diocese. (fn. 3)
An attempt was made by the Earl of Richmond, in 1199, on the appointment of John de
Acaster to be prior of Rumburgh, to claim the
position of patron to that cell. But on an inquisition being held, the jury returned that the
lords of Richmond never had custody nor seisin
of the cell of Rumburgh during vacancies. (fn. 4)
Rumburgh was one of those small priories
included for suppression, in favour of Cardinal
Wolsey's great college at Ipswich, in the bull of
Clement VII, dated 14 May, 1528. (fn. 5)
On 11 September, 1525, Dr. Stephen Gardiner, at the commission of Cardinal Wolsey,
and under his seal, arrived at Rumburgh, and
there in the convent declared to the prior and
monks, with the authority of the pope and the
king, the suppression of the house, assigned the
goods both movable and immovable to Wolsey's
college at Ipswich, and ordered that the religious
should enter other monasteries of the same order.
Thomas Cromwell and others were present as
witnesses. (fn. 6) On the news reaching York,
Edmund, abbot of St. Mary's, wrote, on 24 September, complaining that among the goods taken
away from Rumburgh by the commission were
certain muniments belonging to the monastery of
York, which had lately been sent there for reference in a dispute between the abbey and men
of worship in Cambridgeshire. He also begged
that the priory might be allowed to remain a
member of their monastery as it had been for
three centuries. The rents of the cell were
little more than £30 a year, and the abbot and
his brethren were quite willing to give instead
300 marks to the college. (fn. 7)
However, in March, 1528-9, the abbey felt
compelled to execute a formal release and quitclaim of the priory of Rumburgh to the cardinal's college. (fn. 8)
On the cardinal's downfall, Rumburgh priory
and its property reverted to the crown and was
granted to Robert Downes, who had licence, on
1 April, 1531, to alienate it to Thomas, duke
of Norfolk. (fn. 9)
A survey of the site of the monastery taken
soon after its suppression, wherein the dimensions of the different buildings are set out, states
that 'there ys a seynt in the churche of Rumburgh called Seynt Bory, to the which there is
moche offeryng uppon Michelmasday of money
and cheses.' (fn. 10)
Priors of Rumburgh (fn. 11)
Blakere, c. 1070 (fn. 12)
John de Acaster, 1199 (fn. 13)
William de Tolberton, 1308 (fn. 14)
Matthew de Ebor, 1311 (fn. 15)
James de Morlound, 1316 (fn. 16)
William de Touthorp, 1319 (fn. 17)
Geoffrey de Rudston, 1322 (fn. 18)
Adam de Sancto Botulpho, 1331 (fn. 19)
William de Newton, 1331 (fn. 20)
John de Maghenby, 1332 (fn. 21)
Roger de Aslakby, recalled 1343 (fn. 22)
John de Manneby (? Maghenby again), 1347 (fn. 23)
Alexander de Wath, resigned 1347 (fn. 24)
Richard de Burton, 1347 (fn. 25)
John de Gayton, recalled, 1357 (fn. 26)
John de Martone, 1357 (fn. 27)
Richard de Appilton, 1361 (fn. 28)
Thomas Lastels, 1370 (fn. 29)
John de Garton, 1373 (fn. 30)
Nicholas Kelfeld, recalled 1392 (fn. 31)
Thomas de Helmeslay, 1392 (fn. 32)
William de Dalton, 1394 (fn. 33)
John Selby, 1405 (fn. 34)
William Hewyk, 1407 (fn. 35)
Thomas Ampulforth, 1412 (fn. 36)
Thomas Staveley, 1417 (fn. 37)
Thomas Gasgyll, 1426 (fn. 38)
William Esyngwold, 1428 (fn. 39)
Thomas Goldesburgh, 1439 (fn. 40)
Thomas Bothe, 1448 (fn. 41)
Hugh Belton, recalled 1464 (fn. 42)
John Ward, 1464 (fn. 43)
John Brown, 1478 (fn. 44)
Richard Mowbray, 1483 (fn. 45)
Walter Hotham, 1484 (fn. 46)
John Lovell, 1492 (fn. 47)
Walter Hotham (again), 1492 (fn. 48)
Thomas Burton, 1495 (fn. 49)
William Skelton, 1497 (fn. 50)
Richard Wood, 1498 (fn. 51)
John Ledell, 1507 (fn. 52)
Launcelot Wharton, 1523 (fn. 53)
John Halton, 1525 (fn. 54)